A longitudinal analysis on alcohol consumption in patients with cancer undergoing psycho-oncological treatment.

The negative impact of alcohol consumption on cancer development and progression is well-established in oncologic research, yet it receives surprisingly little attention from patients with cancer, the public, and even oncology professionals. A cancer diagnosis can lead to significant psychological distress, including high levels of depression and anxiety. For patients with cancer experiencing high levels of psychological burden, psycho-oncological care is available to help manage these symptoms and the overall impact of their condition. Alcohol consumption can serve as a coping mechanism for psychological stress. However, there is limited knowledge about the alcohol consumption patterns among this particularly vulnerable group of patients with cancer, as well as the patient- and disease-related factors associated with drinking. Patients with cancer are particularly susceptible to the harmful effects of alcohol. The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence of potentially risky alcohol consumption among patients with cancer receiving psycho-oncological care over a six-month period and to identify sociodemographic, health-related, and psychosocial factors that may predict alcohol consumption after a cancer diagnosis. We conducted a secondary analysis using data from 300 patients with cancer (72 % female, mean age 52.74 years) treated at the outpatient clinic of the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf in Germany. Between 2013 and 2021 demographic, medical, and psychosocial information was collected using self-report questionnaires. A generalized longitudinal linear mixed model was used to determine the prevalence of risky and potentially harmful drinking behavior (AUDIT-C ≥ 2 for women and ≥ 3 for men) among patients with cancer as well as to identify patient characteristics associated with alcohol consumption. The results show that approximately 70% of the patients continued drinking after their cancer diagnosis, despite the known detrimental effects of alcohol on prognosis. At both time points, around 40 to 50% of female and male patients reported potentially harmful drinking behaviors (T0 (beginning of psychosocial treatment): 49.1% of female, 38.1% of male patients; T1 (6 months later): 41.2% of female and 42.9% of male patients). A higher number of comorbidities (OR = 0.707; 95% CI: 0.567-0.883), older age (OR = 0.983, 95% CI: 0.967-0.999, and higher levels of depressive symptoms (OR = 0.952, 95% CI: 0.907-0.998) were significantly associated with lower odds of risky alcohol consumption over the six-month period. In contrast, higher anxiety levels (OR = 1.075, 95% CI: 1.021-1.132) were associated with an increased likelihood of risky drinking. The significant proportion of patients with cancer consuming alcohol at levels that may worsen their cancer prognosis highlights the need for improved patient education and guidelines. The results can help identify high-risk patients who require close monitoring of their drinking behaviors during their survival period, and inform the implementation of better alcohol control measures in cancer care. By understanding alcohol consumption patterns and associated factors, we aim to promote healthier behaviors and improve treatment outcomes for patients with cancer in psycho-oncological care.